Shut 'em Down

Subject: Shut 'em Down

Here are the facts about America boys and girls. The powers that be understand economics, the bottom line. If there is no impact to the bottom line, if there is no dent delivered to the daily GNP, then voices, opinions, etc. fall on death ears. We become a blip in the media.

Rev. Al Sharpton has no fanclub in me. I find the man, at times, to be a bit shady. When it comes to the world of revolution and revolutionaries, I have found him to be more opportunistic than revolutionary. That said, he has contributed one very good and potentially powerful idea. May 7th, he is calling for a 5 borough wide protest of the police officers who were acquitted of the Sean Bell shooting. Rev. Shaprton is also calling on supporters to not spend a dime on goods and services (that means WALKING, BIKING, SKATING, or COLLECTIVE AND COLLABORATIVE DRIVING). He is asking people to take the day off from work, school, or from television and the internet to join the masses to protest.

The reason why the Montgomery boycott was so powerful in the 1950’s is because when it started, an agreement was made among African Americans in Alabama, that they would not allow the establishment to dictate where they could sit or enter on a bus. The only way to ensure this message would be heard and carried was by crippling the public transportation industry that was in fact dependent on the dollars of these working people.

Jump ahead and we find that advertisers spent $2.3B on outreach to African American consumers between October 1, 2006 and September 30, 2007. Why? Because in spite of a disproportionate unemployment rate that nearly doubles that of White Americans, black households collectively had earned income of $679B according to a 2004 report. This translates to enormous spending power:

Apparel products and services: $22B
Appliances: $1.7B
Beverages (alcoholic): $2.3B
Beverages (non-alcoholic): $2.7B
Books: $257M
New and used car/trucks: $28.7B
Computers & related equipment: $2B
Consumer Electronics: $3.7B
Education: $6B
Entertainment & Leisure: $2.2B
Food: $53.8B
Gifts: $7.1B
Healthcare: $17.9B
Houshold furnishings & Equipment: $10.7B
Housewares: $596M
Housing related charges: $110.2B
Insurance: $16.6B
Media: $6.3B
Personal care products and svc: $6.3B
Sports & Recreational equipment: $475N
Telephone Svc: $14B
Tobacco products: $2.4B
Toys, Games, & Pets: $1.6B
Travel, Transportation, & Lodging: $4.6B

With all of that spending power focused, imagine what could be accomplished. I ask that those of you in the Tri-State NYC area consider joining with or supporting those who are calling for a citywide boycott of NYC and shut it down peacefully.[/b]